The University of Texas at Tyler Collaborates with ETHNN to Present Smith County Health Status Results

July 14, 2023

The University of Texas at Tyler Collaborates with ETHNN to Present Smith County Health Status Results

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July 14, 2023

Liz Wingfield
Health Affairs Marketing and Communications Specialist
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.877.7075

The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine and School of Health Professions have partnered with the East Texas Human Needs Network to present survey results on the health status of Smith County. The presentation will be at the Power of Partnership Symposium noon – 2 p.m., July 18, at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center.

The UT Tyler School of Medicine and School of Health Professions faculty helped develop and administer the survey to assess the community needs in Smith County.

“It is an absolute honor to collaborate with the East Texas Human Needs Network and our esteemed community partners,” said Dr. Brigham C. Willis, founding dean of the School of Medicine. “Community is one of our core values and is at the heart of our mission. By taking care of our community first, we are not only fulfilling our duty as health care professionals, but also cultivating a stronger and healthier future, together.”

The UT Tyler and ETHNN partnership is designed to help fill in the gaps in data characterizing community needs including health, economic, education, social and legal needs in East Texas. Local health professionals, researchers and nonprofits will now be able to use the publicly available final report to pursue more funding opportunities. ETHNN will use data from the survey to inform its collective action projects for the next three years.

“The survey results will serve as a powerful tool in our efforts to secure grants and attract additional funding and resources to East Texas,” said Dr. Theresa Byrd, founding dean of the School of Health Professions. “This means that we can enhance the quality of health care services, expand access to vital resources and address the pressing needs of our community like never before. We firmly believe that this collaboration will unlock a brighter future for East Texas, empowering us to make significant strides in improving the well-being of our community.”

These are the top three community needs, according to the Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment:

37.4% aren’t able to pay their bills.
32.5% aren’t able to get prescription medications.
29.3% don’t have adequate dental care.

“It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to partner with UT Tyler in our shared mission to address the health disparities prevalent in East Texas,” said Jackie Clay, CEO of ETHNN. “Together, we are forging a path towards equitable health care, empowering individuals and transforming lives in East Texas.”

To register for the Power of Partnership Symposium, go to Symposium Registration.

About the East Texas Human Needs Network
Established in 2012, ETHNN is a network of over 100 individuals and organizations working together for
strengthened programs, connections and improved awareness of services that meet essential human
needs. Their members are individuals representing public, private and faith-based organizations as well
as interested community members. Membership is inclusive and free of charge.

About The University of Texas at Tyler
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler
offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its
alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these
entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care.
Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national
university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.